[Applehusky]

I'm building a computer setup and currently I have a couple Definitive Technology Pro Cinema 600 speakers and a sub hooked up to a receiver with my computer as a source. The receiver works great but it's huge and desk space is limited. So I was wondering if there was anything I could plug into my computer to drive a 2.1 setup without the need for a receiver.
I'm looking for something digital so I don't have to use the 3.5mm jack and have something double amped.
 
Any ideas? 

 

[labrat]

 

[Chodi]

I've had a Bose 2.1 system on my computer for years. I use it to listen to movies or tv only, not for music. It has built in amplification so it will work off any sound card or even motherboard sound chip. In spite of the usual Bose bashing I find it works quite well and sounds good for a simple setup. Even comes with a touch device that lets you adjust the volume or mute the system by placing it next to your keyboard,. There are much cheaper systems out there that are designed for the same use. I would not suggest this system if you are using it for primarily music playback but for movies and gaming it is great.

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Replacing the routing and control functionality of your receiver with something smaller and more convienient is easy. Buy a USB audio interface. These needn't be expensive.
 
The problem you have is you still need the receiver because that's where the amplifiers are.
 
So I think you have three choices.
 
Start again from scratch. Audio interface and active/powered speakers.
 
Get the audio interface and use that for all the connection and control functions on your desk. Connect the interface main out to the receiver via a pair of line ins. Now now hide the receiver somewhere out of the way.
 
You can get quite cheap amplifiers like these
 
https://www.studiospares.com/Studio-Gear/Power-Amplifiers/Studiospares-Aktivate-85-Power-Amp-Unit_249180.htm?ne=AQAAAAMAAAAEDFN0dWRpb3NwYXJlcw==
 
which you clip onto the back of your speakers. You would need an audio interface with at least 4 outs to do this successfully and I don't know if you would consider it worthwhile with your current speakers and sub.

 

[sealman]

My vote is for the "start again from scratch" proposal.
I have spent years attempting to get both good sound and a small footprint for the audio components connected to my PC. 
I would have saved a LOT of money if I had just started out with powered monitors to begin with.
 
Once you have some good quality monitors there are gobs of options for preamp/dac components to choose from.
 
Good luck.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I'm building a computer setup and currently I have a couple Definitive Technology Pro Cinema 600 speakers and a sub hooked up to a receiver with my computer as a source. The receiver works great but it's huge and desk space is limited. So I was wondering if there was anything I could plug into my computer to drive a 2.1 setup without the need for a receiver.
I'm looking for something digital so I don't have to use the 3.5mm jack and have something double amped.
 
Any ideas? 

 
You could get a small a low cost speaker amplifier and use the two front speakers and the sub-woofer as a 2.1 setup.
Luckily your Cinema 600 sub-woofer comes with a pass thru for two speaker.
Guessing you might lose some audio quality.
 
For $10-$20 you can get a small table at IKEA to put next to your desk, to put your current receiver on, this way you would be able to use the full 5.1